<ARTICLE>                                           7
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the 
consolidated financial statements of the Protective Life Insurance Company
and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>                        
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
       
                                            
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                  9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1998
<DEBT-HELD-FOR-SALE>                           6,728,732
<DEBT-CARRYING-VALUE>                          0
<DEBT-MARKET-VALUE>                            0
<EQUITIES>                                     11,861
<MORTGAGE>                                     1,450,363
<REAL-ESTATE>                                  14,677
<TOTAL-INVEST>                                 8,565,491
<CASH>                                         0
<RECOVER-REINSURE>                             660,359
<DEFERRED-ACQUISITION>                         691,994
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 11,239,685
<POLICY-LOSSES>                                3,655,862
<UNEARNED-PREMIUMS>                            401,817
<POLICY-OTHER>                                 0
<POLICY-HOLDER-FUNDS>                          188,867
<NOTES-PAYABLE>                                0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          2
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       5,000
<OTHER-SE>                                     1,084,772
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   11,239,685
<PREMIUMS>                                     420,914
<INVESTMENT-INCOME>                            450,229
<INVESTMENT-GAINS>                             1,460
<OTHER-INCOME>                                 14,107
<BENEFITS>                                     540,887
<UNDERWRITING-AMORTIZATION>                    89,053
<UNDERWRITING-OTHER>                           121,653
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                135,117
<INCOME-TAX>                                   48,211
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            86,906
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   86,906
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  0<F1>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0<F1>
<RESERVE-OPEN>                                 0
<PROVISION-CURRENT>                            0
<PROVISION-PRIOR>                              0
<PAYMENTS-CURRENT>                             0
<PAYMENTS-PRIOR>                               0
<RESERVE-CLOSE>                                0
<CUMULATIVE-DEFICIENCY>                        0
<FN>
<F1>Protective Life Insurance Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Protective Life Corporation (NYSE:  PL) and is not required to present
EPS information.
</FN>